Care for Easterns is very similar to that of Northerns, which makes sense since Northerns are a subspecies of the nominate form T. s. scincoides.A few noticeable differences in care should be mentioned, first of which being temperature.

Temperatures:I have noticed, as has Ray Gurgui in Florida, that Easterns seem to do better when kept cooler than their larger counterparts. In my Eastern enclosures, I shoot for 90-94°F in the hot spot, and the cool end in the low 70’s.

Humidity/Substrate:I keep my Easterns at a lower humidity as well. Most of mine are kept on aspen or dry cypress, and I rarely allow humidity to exceed 40%.

Brumation:Brumation is where things get tricky for Easterns. Since this species occupies such a massive range, and encompasses many different types of habitat, brumation for animals from different areas can vary greatly. Animals from further North in their range can be shut down much like Northerns, while animals from further south require much cooler temperatures and longer brumation times due to the fact that in the wild they experience much longer/harsher winters. Easterns from populations in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia often require brumation temperatures as low as the mid 40’s Fahrenheit. These low temperatures during shut down are vital to proper follicle development in females and proper sperm production in males.